Don't Cry
by Ziny-DiNozzo
Summary: TATE! Kate doesn't get shot by Ari and she doesn't die. Very sweet and kinda angsty. One-shot for now but i might write more, i don't know


**Don't Cry**

Gibbs, Tony, and Kate were all on high alert as they spread out on the roof, shooting and dodging enemy bullets.

Kate looked around and saw a gunman aim at Gibbs from across the way. She let her instincts from the Secret Service take over and jumped in front of Gibbs like she was protecting the President against assassination.

The bullet hit her hard and she felt the wind being knocked from her as she fell to the ground and groaned. Her eyes opened and she looked up to see Tony and Gibbs standing over her. They pulled her up making a joking comment. Kate started to say something teasing but Tony couldn't here her. Time froze.

He couldn't see Kate's smiling mouth move as she spoke or Gibbs' chuckling expression turn into its normal poker face even if he wanted to. He was staring at the roof of the building opposite.

A man stood pointing a gun, a sniper rifle, at them, at _Kate_. No he was seeing wrong. That was a long way away, he was pointing at Gibbs. He _had_ to be pointing at Gibbs.

Time came back to normal and Tony cut Kate off mid sentence by pushing both her and Gibbs with great force, ignoring their yells of 'DiNozzo' as they hit the ground. As they yelled Tony had pulled his gun and jumped between Kate and Gibbs, but whilst in the air he felt a bullet hit him hard and he felt his chest convulse as he fell backwards, hitting his head on the concrete roof with a smash.

Gibbs and Kate reacted immediately. Gibbs raised his gun and shot in the direction the bullet had come from, while Kate rushed to Tony's side. He seemed to be veering towards unconsciousness.

"Tony! Tony, don't close your eyes; you have to stay awake!" Kate slapped his cheek lightly trying to waken him.

"Kate?" Tony asked in a groaned whisper, "Why… Why is my chest wet?"

Kate looked at Tony's NCIS jacket and pulled at the zip so she could see the bullet-proof vest underneath. There was blood oozing around the bullet at a surprising rate, it had gone _through_ the vest.

"Oh god, Tony, you're bleeding!"

"Katie?" Asked Tony in a soft voice,

"Yes Tony?" Sniffed Kate,

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not"- but she was cut off,

"Don't cry."

Kate sniffed again and looked at Tony. His eyes started to droop.

"No! Don't go to sleep Tony! You have to stay awake!" She grabbed his had in hers and told him to squeeze it.

After a few seconds that seemed to drag on forever, Tony spoke again. "Am I dying?" He looked slightly confused at Kate's teary eyes.

"No." She told him firmly, "I won't let you."

"It's not that bad. It's sorta… peaceful."

"Tony. Tony, listen to me. You are not going to die."

"OK Kate."

Gibbs walked around calling an ambulance, and talking to McGee through the earwigs.

"Kate?" Asked Tony again.

"Yes Tony?"

"I love you."

Kate was stared at Tony silently for barely a millisecond before speaking, "That's why you have to stay awake; so you can take me out to dinner." Kate smiled sadly and blushed as she whispered. "And so you can take me home afterwards."

Tony smiled weakly. "I'd like that."

Kate rested her elbow on her knee and pressed her and Tony's hands to her mouth, tears falling from her eyes.

An ambulance could be heard in the distance but Tony could tell it was too late. His eyelids were heavy and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep them open for much longer.

He lifted his free arm and wiped the tears from Kate's eyes before letting his hand flop down, the effort to keep it up, to much.

"Goodbye Katie." He whispered,

"No, Tony, please… don't." Kate was sobbing now, begging him not to go. "Just hold on… For me." She added as a small whisper.

"I can't Katie."

Kate cried and kissed the back of his hand, not caring that Gibbs was right there.

"I meant it Kate. I love you."

"Tony, I- I-" Kate took a deep breathe, "I love you too."

Tony smiled up at her before his eyes fell closed, and he slipped into the welcoming blackness. His hand fell limply out of Kate's grasp.

**AN: like it? don't like it? want more? ok i might continue this fic if i get enough demand but keep in mind that i'll keep 'A Kiss and a Promise' my top priority, and also that i'm doing NaNoWriMo so that's probs gonna delay any updates...**

**3 Clai  
**


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